List of governors of New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Governor of New Jersey |
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Style |
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Residence | Drumthwacket |
Seat | Trenton, New Jersey |
Term length | Four years, renewable once consecutively |
Constituting instrument | New Jersey Constitution of 1776 |
Precursor | Governor of New Jersey (Great Britain) |
Inaugural holder | William Livingston |
Formation | August 31, 1776 |
Succession | Line of succession |
Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey |
The Governor of New Jersey is the main leader of the state of New Jersey. They are in charge of the state government and also lead New Jersey's military forces. The Governor makes sure state laws are followed. They can also approve new laws or say 'no' to them (this is called a veto) if the New Jersey Legislature passes them. They can also call the Legislature together for special meetings and forgive people for certain crimes.
The first New Jersey State Constitution was created in 1776. It said that the state legislature would choose the governor each year. Back then, the governor was also the head of the upper part of the legislature, called the Legislative Council.
In 1844, a new constitution changed things. People started voting for the governor directly. The governor no longer led the upper house, which was now called the Senate. The governor's term also became three years long. Governors could not serve right after themselves.
The 1947 constitution made the governor's term four years. It also said that a governor could only be elected for two terms in a row. However, they could run again after a break. Some governors, like Joseph Bloomfield and A. Harry Moore, served more than once, but not always in a row.
The 1776 constitution said that if the governor's job was empty, the vice-president of the Legislative Council would step in. The 1844 and 1947 constitutions then put the president of the Senate next in line. In 2006, a new rule created the job of Lieutenant Governor. This person is elected with the governor and takes over if the governor's office becomes empty. The first Lieutenant Governor started in 2010.
New Jersey has had 56 official governors. Only one of them has been a woman. Some people also served as "acting" governors for a short time. A law signed in 2006 said that acting governors who served for at least 180 days could be counted as full governors. This changed the official numbers for some past governors.
The first and longest-serving governor was William Livingston. He served from 1776 to 1790. A. Harry Moore served the longest as a governor chosen by popular vote. The current and 56th governor is Phil Murphy. He is a Democrat and started his term on January 16, 2018.
Governors of New Jersey
New Jersey was one of the original Thirteen Colonies in America. It became a state on December 18, 1787. Before that, it was a colony of Great Britain.
Before 2010, New Jersey did not have a Lieutenant Governor. If the governor's job was empty or they couldn't do their duties, the president of the State Senate would become the acting governor. This meant one person had power in both the executive (governor's) and legislative (law-making) branches.
The acting governor would serve until a new election was held, or until the governor could return to their duties. If the governor left office less than 16 months before their term ended, the acting governor would serve until the end of that term.
After Governor Christine Todd Whitman resigned in 2001, Donald DiFrancesco became the acting governor. Later, John O. Bennett served as acting governor for a few days. During that time, he signed some laws and held events at Drumthwacket, the governor's home.
Similarly, Richard Codey also served as acting governor in January 2002. Because the State Senate had two co-presidents, both Codey and Bennett took turns being acting governor for three days each. Richard Codey later served as governor from November 2004 to January 2006 after Jim McGreevey resigned.
Because of these changes in leadership, New Jersey voters approved a new rule in 2005. This rule created the job of lieutenant governor of New Jersey. This new position started with the 2009 state elections.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
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1 | ![]() |
William Livingston (1723–1790) |
August 31, 1776 – July 25, 1790 (died in office) |
Federalist | 1776 | Office did not exist | ||
1777 | ||||||||
1778 | ||||||||
1779 | ||||||||
1780 | ||||||||
1781 | ||||||||
1782 | ||||||||
1783 | ||||||||
1784 | ||||||||
1785 | ||||||||
1786 | ||||||||
1787 | ||||||||
1788 | ||||||||
1789 | ||||||||
— | ![]() |
Elisha Lawrence (1746–1799) |
July 25, 1790 – October 29, 1790 (successor took office) |
Federalist | Vice-president of the Legislative Council acting |
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2 | ![]() |
William Paterson (1745–1806) |
October 29, 1790 – May 27, 1793 (resigned) |
Federalist | 1790 | |||
1791 | ||||||||
1792 | ||||||||
— | ![]() |
Thomas Henderson (1743–1824) |
May 27, 1793 – June 3, 1793 (successor took office) |
Federalist | Vice-president of the Legislative Council acting |
|||
3 | ![]() |
Richard Howell (1754–1802) |
June 3, 1793 – October 31, 1801 (did not run) |
Federalist | 1793 | |||
1794 | ||||||||
1795 | ||||||||
1796 | ||||||||
1797 | ||||||||
1798 | ||||||||
1799 | ||||||||
1800 | ||||||||
4 | ![]() |
Joseph Bloomfield (1753–1823) |
October 31, 1801 – October 28, 1802 (deadlocked election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1801 | |||
— | ![]() |
John Lambert (1746–1823) |
October 28, 1802 – October 27, 1803 (successor took office) |
Democratic- Republican |
1802 | |||
4 | ![]() |
Joseph Bloomfield (1753–1823) |
October 27, 1803 – October 29, 1812 (did not run) |
Democratic- Republican |
1803 | |||
1804 | ||||||||
1805 | ||||||||
1806 | ||||||||
1807 | ||||||||
1808 | ||||||||
1809 | ||||||||
1810 | ||||||||
1811 | ||||||||
5 | ![]() |
Aaron Ogden (1756–1839) |
October 29, 1812 – October 29, 1813 (lost election) |
Federalist | 1812 | |||
6 | ![]() |
William Sanford Pennington (1757–1826) |
October 29, 1813 – June 19, 1815 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1813 | |||
1814 | ||||||||
— | ![]() |
William Kennedy (1775–1826) |
June 19, 1815 – October 26, 1815 (successor took office) |
Democratic- Republican |
Vice-president of the Legislative Council acting |
|||
7 | ![]() |
Mahlon Dickerson (1770–1853) |
October 26, 1815 – February 1, 1817 (resigned) |
Democratic- Republican |
1815 | |||
1816 | ||||||||
8 | ![]() |
Isaac Halstead Williamson (1767–1844) |
February 6, 1817 – October 30, 1829 (lost election) |
Democratic- Republican |
1817 | |||
1818 | ||||||||
1819 | ||||||||
1820 | ||||||||
1821 | ||||||||
1822 | ||||||||
1823 | ||||||||
1824 | ||||||||
1825 | ||||||||
1826 | ||||||||
1827 | ||||||||
1828 | ||||||||
— | ![]() |
Garret D. Wall (1783–1850) |
October 30, 1829 – November 2, 1829 (declined) |
Democratic | 1829 | |||
9 | ![]() |
Peter Dumont Vroom (1791–1873) |
November 6, 1829 – October 26, 1832 (lost election) |
Democratic | ||||
1830 | ||||||||
1831 | ||||||||
10 | ![]() |
Samuel L. Southard (1787–1842) |
October 26, 1832 – February 27, 1833 (resigned) |
Whig | 1832 | |||
11 | ![]() |
Elias P. Seeley (1791–1846) |
February 27, 1833 – October 25, 1833 (lost election) |
Whig | ||||
9 | ![]() |
Peter Dumont Vroom (1791–1873) |
October 25, 1833 – November 3, 1836 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1833 | |||
1834 | ||||||||
1835 | ||||||||
12 | ![]() |
Philemon Dickerson (1788–1862) |
November 3, 1836 – October 27, 1837 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1836 | |||
13 | ![]() |
William Pennington (1796–1862) |
October 27, 1837 – October 27, 1843 (did not run) |
Whig | 1837 | |||
1838 | ||||||||
1839 | ||||||||
1840 | ||||||||
1841 | ||||||||
1842 | ||||||||
14 | ![]() |
Daniel Haines (1801–1877) |
October 27, 1843 – January 21, 1845 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1843 | |||
15 | ![]() |
Charles C. Stratton (1796–1859) |
January 21, 1845 – January 18, 1848 (term-limited) |
Whig | 1844 | |||
14 | ![]() |
Daniel Haines (1801–1877) |
January 18, 1848 – January 21, 1851 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1847 | |||
16 | ![]() |
George Franklin Fort (1809–1872) |
January 21, 1851 – January 17, 1854 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1850 | |||
17 | ![]() |
Rodman M. Price (1816–1894) |
January 17, 1854 – January 20, 1857 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1853 | |||
18 | ![]() |
William A. Newell (1817–1901) |
January 20, 1857 – January 17, 1860 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1856 | |||
19 | ![]() |
Charles Smith Olden (1799–1876) |
January 17, 1860 – January 20, 1863 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1859 | |||
20 | ![]() |
Joel Parker (1816–1888) |
January 20, 1863 – January 16, 1866 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1862 | |||
21 | ![]() |
Marcus Lawrence Ward (1812–1884) |
January 16, 1866 – January 19, 1869 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1865 | |||
22 | ![]() |
Theodore Fitz Randolph (1826–1883) |
January 19, 1869 – January 16, 1872 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1868 | |||
20 | ![]() |
Joel Parker (1816–1888) |
January 16, 1872 – January 19, 1875 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1871 | |||
23 | ![]() |
Joseph D. Bedle (1831–1894) |
January 19, 1875 – January 15, 1878 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1874 | |||
24 | ![]() |
George B. McClellan (1826–1885) |
January 15, 1878 – January 18, 1881 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1877 | |||
25 | ![]() |
George C. Ludlow (1830–1900) |
January 18, 1881 – January 15, 1884 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1880 | |||
26 | ![]() |
Leon Abbett (1836–1894) |
January 15, 1884 – January 18, 1887 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1883 | |||
27 | ![]() |
Robert Stockton Green (1831–1895) |
January 18, 1887 – January 21, 1890 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1886 | |||
26 | ![]() |
Leon Abbett (1836–1894) |
January 21, 1890 – January 17, 1893 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1889 | |||
28 | ![]() |
George Theodore Werts (1846–1910) |
January 17, 1893 – January 21, 1896 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1892 | |||
29 | ![]() |
John W. Griggs (1849–1927) |
January 21, 1896 – January 31, 1898 (resigned) |
Republican | 1895 | |||
— | ![]() |
Foster McGowan Voorhees (1856–1927) |
January 31, 1898 – October 18, 1898 (resigned) |
Republican | President of the Senate acting |
|||
— | ![]() |
David Ogden Watkins (1862–1938) |
October 18, 1898 – January 17, 1899 (successor took office) |
Republican | Speaker of the Assembly acting |
|||
30 | ![]() |
Foster McGowan Voorhees (1856–1927) |
January 17, 1899 – January 21, 1902 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1898 | |||
31 | ![]() |
Franklin Murphy (1846–1920) |
January 21, 1902 – January 17, 1905 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1901 | |||
32 | ![]() |
Edward C. Stokes (1860–1942) |
January 17, 1905 – January 21, 1908 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1904 | |||
33 | ![]() |
John Franklin Fort (1852–1920) |
January 21, 1908 – January 17, 1911 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1907 | |||
34 | ![]() |
Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) |
January 17, 1911 – March 1, 1913 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1910 | |||
— | ![]() |
James Fairman Fielder (1867–1954) |
March 1, 1913 – October 28, 1913 (resigned) |
Democratic | President of the Senate acting |
|||
— | ![]() |
Leon Rutherford Taylor (1883–1924) |
October 28, 1913 – January 20, 1914 (successor took office) |
Democratic | Speaker of the Assembly acting |
|||
35 | ![]() |
James Fairman Fielder (1867–1954) |
January 20, 1914 – January 16, 1917 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1913 | |||
36 | ![]() |
Walter Evans Edge (1873–1956) |
January 16, 1917 – May 16, 1919 (resigned) |
Republican | 1916 | |||
— | ![]() |
William Nelson Runyon (1871–1931) |
May 16, 1919 – January 13, 1920 (senate term expired) |
Republican | President of the Senate acting |
|||
— | ![]() |
Clarence E. Case (1877–1961) |
January 13, 1920 – January 20, 1920 (successor took office) |
Republican | President of the Senate acting |
|||
37 | ![]() |
Edward I. Edwards (1863–1931) |
January 20, 1920 – January 15, 1923 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1919 | |||
38 | ![]() |
George Sebastian Silzer (1870–1940) |
January 15, 1923 – January 19, 1926 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1922 | |||
39 | ![]() |
A. Harry Moore (1877–1952) |
January 19, 1926 – January 15, 1929 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1925 | |||
40 | ![]() |
Morgan Foster Larson (1882–1961) |
January 15, 1929 – January 19, 1932 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1928 | |||
39 | ![]() |
A. Harry Moore (1877–1952) |
January 19, 1932 – January 3, 1935 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1931 | |||
— | ![]() |
Clifford Ross Powell (1893–1973) |
January 3, 1935 – January 8, 1935 (senate term expired) |
Republican | President of the Senate acting |
|||
— | ![]() |
Horace Griggs Prall (1881–1951) |
January 8, 1935 – January 15, 1935 (successor took office) |
Republican | President of the Senate acting |
|||
41 | ![]() |
Harold G. Hoffman (1896–1954) |
January 15, 1935 – January 18, 1938 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1934 | |||
39 | ![]() |
A. Harry Moore (1877–1952) |
January 18, 1938 – January 21, 1941 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1937 | |||
42 | ![]() |
Charles Edison (1890–1969) |
January 21, 1941 – January 18, 1944 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1940 | |||
36 | ![]() |
Walter Evans Edge (1873–1956) |
January 18, 1944 – January 21, 1947 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1943 | |||
43 | ![]() |
Alfred E. Driscoll (1902–1975) |
January 21, 1947 – January 19, 1954 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1946 | |||
1949 | ||||||||
44 | ![]() |
Robert B. Meyner (1908–1990) |
January 19, 1954 – January 16, 1962 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1953 | |||
1957 | ||||||||
45 | ![]() |
Richard J. Hughes (1909–1992) |
January 16, 1962 – January 20, 1970 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1961 | |||
1965 | ||||||||
46 | ![]() |
William T. Cahill (1912–1996) |
January 20, 1970 – January 15, 1974 (lost nomination) |
Republican | 1969 | |||
47 | ![]() |
Brendan Byrne (1924–2018) |
January 15, 1974 – January 19, 1982 (term-limited) |
Democratic | 1973 | |||
1977 | ||||||||
48 | ![]() |
Thomas Kean (b. 1935) |
January 19, 1982 – January 16, 1990 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1981 | |||
1985 | ||||||||
49 | ![]() |
James Florio (1937–2022) |
January 16, 1990 – January 18, 1994 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1989 | |||
50 | ![]() |
Christine Todd Whitman (b. 1946) |
January 18, 1994 – January 31, 2001 (resigned) |
Republican | 1993 | |||
1997 | ||||||||
51 | ![]() |
Donald DiFrancesco (b. 1944) |
January 31, 2001 – January 8, 2002 (senate term expired) |
Republican | Succeeded from president of the Senate |
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— | ![]() |
John Farmer Jr. (b. 1957) |
January 8, 2002 – January 8, 2002 (successor took office) |
Republican | Attorney general acting |
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— | ![]() |
John O. Bennett (b. 1948) |
January 8, 2002 – January 12, 2002 (successor took office) |
Republican | President of the Senate acting |
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— | ![]() |
Richard Codey (b. 1946) |
January 12, 2002 – January 15, 2002 (successor took office) |
Democratic | President of the Senate acting |
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52 | ![]() |
Jim McGreevey (b. 1957) |
January 15, 2002 – November 15, 2004 (resigned) |
Democratic | 2001 | |||
53 | ![]() |
Richard Codey (b. 1946) |
November 16, 2004 – January 17, 2006 (did not run) |
Democratic | Succeeded from president of the Senate |
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54 | ![]() |
Jon Corzine (b. 1947) |
January 17, 2006 – January 19, 2010 (lost election) |
Democratic | 2005 | |||
55 | ![]() |
Chris Christie (b. 1962) |
January 19, 2010 – January 16, 2018 (term-limited) |
Republican | 2009 | Kim Guadagno | ||
2013 | ||||||||
56 | ![]() |
Phil Murphy (b. 1957) |
January 16, 2018 – Incumbent |
Democratic | 2017 | Sheila Oliver (died August 1, 2023) |
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2021 | ||||||||
Vacant | ||||||||
Tahesha Way (appointed September 8, 2023) |
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